The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

Synopsis

Saving the world never goes out of style.

At the height of the Cold War, a mysterious criminal organization plans to use nuclear weapons and technology to upset the fragile balance of power between the United States and Soviet Union. CIA agent Napoleon Solo and KGB agent Illya Kuryakin are forced to put aside their hostilities and work together to stop the evildoers in their tracks. The duo's only lead is the daughter of a missing German scientist, whom they must find soon to prevent a global catastrophe.

I'm weird about this type of movie. I'm not just talking about "style over substance" movies—although that's also true. There's little I despise more than the false dichotomy of style and substance, as style is inherently substantive and merely requires interpretation as any other element of a film does. UNCLE is all glitz and glamor, but that's exactly who these characters are. They rely on surface appearances to do their jobs, and in their free time they argue about whether a certain brand of belt goes with a certain brand of dress, or whether a certain bow tie is appropriate with a…

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is the most bubbly, witty, joyous spy picture in years, so of course, most viewers shrugged their shoulders and went on with their lives. I don't necessarily blame them, however, especially because it's almost *too* old-fashioned. Action is shown through zig zaggy split-screen montages (embodying a certain kind of comic-book flair that is so 60s), its groovy soundtrack moves effortlessly through all the exotic locations and setpiece moments (to the point of overpowering the image itself), and Guy Ritchie's cinematic language thrives on homoerotic overtones, sly innuendo, and cute bursts of feisty conversations. It's a film about facades - an elusive form of arranging the puzzle pieces of conspiracy to your own favor - and…

The Good: The eclectic and exuberant soundtrack—the highlight of the film and the best of the year so far. The lush, stylistic cinematography. The humor. The rage. The car chase. The café. Trackers. "The kiss." The safe. The boat chase. The electric chair. The cool. Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer. Armie Hammer and Alicia Vikander. Alicia Vikander's dresses. Alicia Vikander's sunglasses. Alicia Vikander dancing. Alicia Vikander slapping. Alicia Vikander wrestling. Alicia Vikander. Alicia Vikander. Alicia Vikander.

The Bad: The film is pretty fun, it's a shame the third act is a mess. I was ready to give this a solid four stars. It…